What did I get myself into?
by johnlocked-thetardis221
Summary: Nico is having trouble adjusting to his new high school but he meets someone new. Percy Jackson helps him along and lets Nico stay over while his dad is attempting to recover from an alcoholic problem. In this story, freshman own cars and homes and they can have their own jobs. Percy Jackson is not mine. It belongs to Rick Riordan. This story, however, is mine so please don't steal
1. Chapter 1-What did I get myself into?

Nico-

High school. A living hell for me. Too many people, too many faces, too many rooms. It's like a

labyrinth of chatting cheerleaders or shouting jocks. Me? Well I'm a freshman. Nicholas Di Angelo but I go by Nico. I was sitting in class, barely listening to Mrs. Pohlman. Then, the shrill noise of the bell travels through the school and,once again, survival begins. I follow the crowd to the front doors of the school but I was tripped. Taller seniors start laughing and and the stupid one said, "Oh no little gay Nico fell. Get your thoughts _straight_ boy." they laughed and laughed as I collect all of my books off of the ground.

A hand grabs my History text book and I look up, seeing another freshman, my height. He

smiled and took some of the books out of my hands, "Here. I'll help." He said, his blue-green eyes flickering with a smile. His hair was an ebony color, shaggy and matted over his eyes. He was wearing an orange shirt from some camp, jeans, and Vans. If you look him over, he's not that bad looking. "I-I'm Nico." I said, not meaning to stutter. _Fuck._

We walked out of the front doors, "I'm Percy." He said, not losing the smile, "Those guys were

pretty mean so it would make sense why you were all shrunken down before you fell. High school's brutal."

I thought for a minute. He was watching me before I fell. He was _watching me._ I hadn't realized

that I said it out loud until he laughed and patted me on the back, "You _were_ the only freshman to be standing in the senior's crowd. I usually let them pass first." Percy said, ruffling my hair, "It's all good though because without mistakes, we don't learn."

My breath hitched when he rustled my hair and I glanced at him, "You sound like Mrs.

Pohlman." I said, laughing a bit.

Percy laughed too and smiled, "You know, Nico? You're alright." He said, stopping at his car.

He opened the driver's side door and gestured across the parking lot, "Got a ride? I don't want to keep you."

I shook my head, hair sweeping against my grey eyes, "No you're fine. I walk home...I don't

want to keep you though so...T-thank you, Percy..." I managed as my voice faded off. I grabbed the textbooks on the driver's seat and turned around, only to feel his hand on my sweatshirt. He turned me around and put his hand in front of me, like a barrier, "No. It's cold and I have a car. Get in." Percy grabbed my textbooks, tossed them into the back seat, and got into the driver's seat.

I hesitated but walked around the car, climbing inside It wasn't that bad. A Nissan with

black leather seats, GPS, radio, seat warmers. It was more than okay and I wanted one.

The ride was silent for the first 5 or 10 minutes until Percy broke it, "So Nico. Where are you

from? I haven't really seen you and I knowjust about _everyone_ in this town."

I was looking out the window and looked over at him when he spoke, "I'm from Telford..." I

said quietly, "We moved here last week."

Percy looked at me inquisitively, "Telford?"

I smiled, "England." I said, running my fingers through my hair.

He nodded but kept his eyes on the road, "I knew you had an accent but I couldn't tell where."

Percy pressed the break and pulled over, looking at me, "Not trying to be like...nosy but I was wondering," he said, scratching the back of his head, "Um...They called you gay. I-is that true? Like that's totally fine if it's true I was just..." He shook his head, "Nevermind. I'm bad at getting to know people."

I laughed, "Yeah. It's true...How 'bout you?" I said, turning to sit cross-legged facing him.

He looked at me for a moment, "Am I gay?" He asked. After I nodded, Percy just shrugged, "Bi-sexual but hey guys are better right now so..."

I smiled and looked out the windshield, tapping my hands to match the beat on the quiet radio,

"How long have you lived here?" I said, not moving my head.

Percy's answer was quick, "My whole life. Born and raised."

I nodded slowly, "Cool..." I pulled my sleeves over my wrists, careful not to show the scars, and

pushed my hair out of my eyes. "Hey...um...since you helped me and all...w-would it be okay if I could like...pay you back? Get you a coffee or something?" I managed. _Fuck, fuck, fuck._

Percy hesitated and then smiled, "That'd be nice. You don't have to though. I was just trying to

help out a newcomer..."

I replied quickly, too quickly, "No! I-I mean...uh It's fine. Really. I owe you."

He smiled, "Thanks, Nico. How about I'll give you a ride tomorrow and we'll go get coffee after

school?"

I nodded and he put the car in drive. The rest of the ride was silent except for the awkward

exchange of goodbyes. I opened the front door and looked back. Percy winked at me from the car and I smiled, walking inside. I sat down on the sofa and put my head in my hands. _Did I just make an accidental date? Maybe it wasn't accidental. He said that'd be nice so...Maybe I didn't screw up too bad. Ugh fuck I'm so bad at this. _I thought to myself.

My dad swaggered down the stairs with a bottle of vodka in his hands. I hurried over to him,

took the vodka, and led him to the couch. Slowly, I backed away and poured the alcohol out of the window. "Nico. N-Nico. Your mum...fuck..." was all that Nico could decipher from the moans and mumbles. "Dad just...rest. Drink this." I said, handing him a glass of water.

He's had alcohol problems since my mum left. She was arrested for the murder of two of her co

workers. I haven't talked to her since she left. When she _did_ leave, my dad got addicted. I cut and hoped everything would stop but it didn't. I was stuck and it wasn't getting better. My dad was drunk constantly and I was getting bullied in school. I just wanted to fit in somewhere but Percy can't know any of this. He'll think that I'm a mess and he'll leave for sure. I'll be back to tripping after school and getting bad grades. I'll be getting new scars and bloodier razors. I'll be stuck with an irresponsible Cockney father who can't even make a sandwich without alcohol. God. Why me? Why?

Percy-

Friday. I grabbed my things and hopped into the car, passing Nico's house on the way and

picking him up. That was improvised on my part but he accepted so it felt like an accomplishment. That day was pretty rough. I walked with Nico throughout the day and he received more than a few poundings from the other kids. I continued to stand up for him and near the end of the day, he was getting hit pretty hard by the other kids when I came back from the classroom. I jumped into the fight, dragged him out, and noticed small bumps on his wrists. _No. He doesn't seem like the type to cut. No... _That thought nagged my brain and after school, we drove to the local cafe.

His sleeves were, once again, pulled down and his eye was a little swollen. I wrapped my

hands around my mocha and frowned, "Nico? Man, I'm sorry. I should've been there so they didn't even start to hurt you." I said, not sure where I was headed with that statement. "I'm...I'm sorry."

Nico didn't say anything for a while but when he did, It wasn't what I'd expected, "I know you

saw, Percy." He stared blankly into his coffee mug, " Don't act like you don't know."

I looked at him and felt sad, "I just...I wasn't expecting...I don't know."

He shook his head, "The whole, 'You don't look like the one to cut' has happened before. Mostly

from seniors hoping to break me down and relish in my sadness." His eyes looked at me but his head didn't move, "Ask away. It's not like I have stuff to hide anymore."

I just shook my head, "Nico. I-I just...Why? Why would you cut?" I made sure to keep my

voice down, remembering that we were still in a public area.

He raised his head and picked up his coffee, "Pull over on the side of the road like yesterday so

nobody can hear. Then I'll explain." He stood up, hugging his long torso with his right arm while sipping coffee with his left.

I did what he said when we got into the car and it was starting to get dark. I turned on the front

lights and looked at him under the artificial glow, watching it reflect in his eyes as he pushed his bangs out of the way.

Nico looked at me and sighed, "My mum's in jail and my dad's an alcoholic. I'm getting bullied

and, to be completely honest, You're the first to notice me. In a positive way." He finished.

I looked at him, seeing the anger, hatred, helplessness behind his sad, sad eyes. "Nico...I-I'm so

sorry. I didn't-I mean...I'll drop it."

Nico shook his head, "Nah. It was good to get it off of my shoulders. To tell someone I can

trust."

I smiled, "Thanks I guess..." and with that, I hit the gas and drove slowly this time. After a

while I had a bit of a crazy idea, "Hey, Nico...If you don't want to like...be around him you can always come over to my house. It's no 3 story Mecca but it's alcoholic-free..." I said, watching the road.

Nico looked at me and smiled. A genuine smile, "Thanks. So much." He said. The whole rest of

the ride, he would occasionally mutter, "Oh god thank you." or "Finally." which made me a bit suspicious but, hey. Let life happen.

We got to my house and I helped him with his books. I lived in a 2-story suburban home with

pathetic skinny trees that had fire-red leaves and a flimsy orchid in the hall inside. After we settled, we both sat on the sofa and watched TV. He would sharply inhale when there was a plot twist, and he would close his eyes when those sad animal commercials came on. He was a bit of a softy but it was kind of cute. The way he covered his hands with his sweater and sat cross-legged rather than sitting there like you would a chair. The next thing I knew, my hand was holding his. He hadn't said anything so it probably didn't bug him.

When the movie we were watching ended, Nico looked at me and smiled, not letting go of my

hand. He leaned back, "Thank you but you have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

I smiled back, "I'm getting an idea." I said. With that, I leaned forward and our lips locked. His

tongue ran across my teeth as we explored each other's mouths. His hands were on my shoulder blades and mine were on his jaw, mapping out each feature and exploring it over and over again. He was brilliant. Our eyes were closed and we didn't care about anything. It was like all of these new problems vanished and all I could see was Nico. It was amazing. He pulled back and kissed up my jawline, nibbling on my ear. I sucked in a sharp breath as he did so and his lips found their way down my neck. I wasn't very covered, just wearing a tank top. He favored the juncture between my neck and shoulder that made my shudder visible. I could feel his smile on my skin as he bit down softly, earning a small gasp that I was embarrassed of afterwords. _Damn this kid's a pro. _I thought to myself as my eyes stayed closed and his mouth explored my torso. His hands were under my shirt, tracing my abs and my shoulder blades, teasing. "Damn you're good." I managed through my teeth. Nico chuckled but stayed silent, taking my shirt off. Nico smiled and kissed in a line down my torso, teeth grazing every spot he knew would make my breath catch. I brought his head back up and slammed my mouth into his. My tongue immediately invaded his as it traced every nook and cranny. It ran across his chapped lips and played tag with his own burning tongue. We pulled away, breathing heavily, and I looked at him, "Guest room is next to mine..." I said, still attempting to catch my breath.

Nico smiled and kissed me one more time, "I'll find it." He stood up, grabbed his things, and

headed up the stairs. His hair was scattered and his sweater was falling off of his shoulder.

Under my breath, I breathed, "Love you." and watched him disappear around the corner of the

stairs. God. What _did_ I get myself into?


	2. Chapter 2-The Thunderstorm

Nico-

Saturday. I took a hot shower that morning and just replayed what had happened in my head. I

thought it was all a weird dream until I woke up the next day in Percy's house. _God. I kissed him. _I changed into the pair of clothes that he loaned me, a tank top and jeans, and rubbed the towel over my wet hair. Percy's clothes were a bit baggy and smelled a lot like him.

After hanging up the towel, I walked down stairs and made a cup of coffee, making him one

while I was at it. Percy walked down the stairs a few minutes later and I pushed the cup in front of him, "Morning." I said, sipping the steaming drink.

Percy smiled and drank his coffee, "Sleep well?" I caught a slight wink after he spoke and

nodded.

I smiled back, "Thanks again...For everything."

Percy just shrugged, "Least I could do." he said, taking another sip of his drink. "I...um...last

night was...um...yeah."

I nodded and smirked a bit, "Yup." I put my mug in the dishwasher, along with his, and we just

sat awkwardly in the kitchen. Every now and again we would make eye contact but then we would break off. My fingers subconsciously ran over my uncovered scars as I watched Percy closely.

In England, I had taken a class to become hyper-observant but I wasn't very good at it. All I

could tell from Percy was that he swam, chapped lips and a hunched back. He was left-handed and leaned on his right hand a lot. He bites his nails when he gets nervous and he never focuses on one thing for long. That kiss was probably the longest time he's ever concentrated on something. He kept his cool in awkward moments, like this one, and he often played with the hem of his t-shirt. He would run his hands through his hair occasionally and it would swipe towards the left side of his face.

I hadn't realized that he was looking at me until I stopped evaluating him. Percy looked confused and I bit my lip nervously, covering my mouth with my no-longer-covered hands. He just smiled and shrugged it off, kissing my cheek and walking back upstairs.

When he left, I ran my hand over my cheek and smiled, scrolling through my phone. I had a

couple of texts from Dad but he was drunk in all of them. The last one, however, was very interesting.

**MUM'S COMING BACK. MOVE OUT.**

I read it over and over again, taking deep breaths. I jogged up the stairs and walked into Percy's

room, "Percy? Dilemma."

He looked up from his book, wearing his very sexy reading glasses, and frowned, "What?" I

showed him the text and he looked at me, "Well? I'll help you bring your stuff over here. I don't know what the dilemma is."

I looked at Percy, a bit surprised, "Wait...what?" I hugged my torso, "I thought you were just

being nice and letting me stay for a day...I can't...I can't ask you to do that. My _mum_ is coming back, Percy. She _murdered people_."

He smiled and hugged me, I hid my face in his neck, "It's okay Nico. Let's go and get your stuff.

I'll help you pack."

I hugged him back and smiled, "Thank you."

We got into his car and pulled up to my house. I unlocked the door, led Percy inside, and hurried

up the rickety stairs. My wardrobe wasn't very big so I didn't have many clothes to pack. I grabbed all of my books and my pictures. I looked at a framed picture of My sister and me on the beach. It seemed like such a long time ago but, really, it was only a couple of weeks ago. She had stayed in England to study zoology. I put that picture in the cardboard box I used to pack. After I finished, I looked around at my empty room. Just a bed and a wardrobe sat in the abandoned space now.

Percy helped me carry my things and I locked the door, putting the key under the mat. We

hopped into the car and drove. Rain started to pound against the roof. The streets got a light dusting of fog and, to be honest, it was really beautiful. The pitter-patter on the top of Percy's car matched the sound of my heartbeat as his free hand held mine.

When we got back to Percy's house, He helped me unpack and walked back into his room. I

stood in front of the window and leaned against the wall, watching the droplets dance across the rooftop. It looked so beautiful but, at the same time, it was filled with sorrow. My mum used to tell me that rain happened when the angels cried. I never believed her but rain always made me sad. I'd never liked thunderstorms and Dad used to call me a woos. I would sit under my bed and write stories while the water rapped against the ceiling. This rain brought back so many memories, good and bad, and it would continue to be the weather of my memories. My breath created a small fog on the window and I drew a smiley face in it. Eventually, it faded away but I stayed, inhaling the aroma of the rain that found its way through the vents. I felt arms wrap around me and I leaned back, taking in Percy's scent.

Percy-

Saturday night. He looked at me, leaning his head against my shoulder, and I kissed him, "It'll

be okay Nico. Everything'll be alright." My hands found his and we stood like that. My torso against Nico's back as we watched the rain shimmy down the roof.

Nico was wrapped in my arms and we sat on his bed now, my chin on his shoulder. This was

perfect. Nico's hair smelled like rain and we never moved. We stayed still and watched the droplets. Our fingers were intertwined and my fingers traced the veins down his pale forearm. This is what I loved about him. We both appreciated the little things. Watching rain together, reading in front of the fire, just talking seemed relaxing.

Nico broke the silence, his voice soft and slow, "Percy?" He looked at me on his shoulder, "Are

we boyfriends?"

I smiled, "Do you want us to be boyfriends?" I asked, lacing my fingers with his. Nico nodded,

"Then we're boyfriends." I finished, kissing his jaw. He smiled and went back to watching the rain. The clouds matched the beautiful shade of grey that occupied his irises.

Later that night, I was getting ready to sleep and thunder boomed across the sky. Lightning

flashed and I heard a crash come from Nico's room. Slowly, I got up and looked in the guest room. Nothing. Not even Nico occupied the space, "Nico? You okay?" I asked, hoping for a reply.

I heard shuffling and Nico came out from under the bed, "Sort of." He said, rubbing his head, "I

fell off when the thunder scared the shit out of me." He said this with a light chuckle, "Yeah thunderstorms aren't really my friends."

I sat down next to him and helped him out from under the bed. We climbed into his bed together

and cuddled. It felt good, to be responsible for someone. I had no siblings so it made me feel important. Like I needed to protect him. I wrapped my arms around his small shoulders and he wrapped his arms around mine. Our hair scattering and tangling together until you couldn't tell who's was who's. Our feet intertwined and we fell asleep in each other's arms. We would occasionally wake up because of the lightning but our looks would reassure each other. Our breathing mixed and our foreheads were pressed together. Inseparable. At that moment, I made a promise to myself. Protect Nico.


	3. Chapter 3-Happy Birthday, Nico

Nico-

Sunday morning. I sat up and stretched, my eyes still adjusting to the light. Percy was gone and

I lost a little comfort. Making my way down the stairs, I smelled coffee and...was that pancakes? Hurrying past the landing, my assumptions were correct. Percy stood in the kitchen. Shirtless. Just wearing flannel pajama bottoms and that adorable smile.

Percy piled two pancakes onto a plate next to him and looked at me, "Morning. Sleep well?" He

pushed a cup of coffee towards me and sipped his own. His hair was a mess, as usual, but it looked natural. That wind-swept look.

I smiled and took the cup, taking in the perfection of the scene in front of me. He brought the

plate of pancakes over and sat at the island, tapping the stool next to him. I sat down, careful not to spill the coffee on Percy, and smiled. His bare arm nudged mine playfully and I felt my face get red.

I heard him chuckle, "You're cute when you blush." Percy said sweetly, putting a piece of

pancake in his mouth. "So..." he said, swallowing, "What do you want to do today?"

I swallowed and smiled, "Well, today is my birthday. I vote somewhere fun." At that, He looked

at me, betrayed almost. I felt confused but put pancake in my mouth anyway.

"Nico. It's your _birthday_! That's im-poor-tent." He said, sounding out each syllable, "We are

_definitely_ going to do something fun today." He wiped his mouth with a napkin, "We are going to go to the county fair and on a walk and then dinner. I can't believe I didn't ask when your birthday was. God _dammit._"

I smiled, still chewing pancake. After I finished I spoke, "You don't have to do _all_ of that. I was

just thinking the book store and then pizza." I admitted, putting my plate in the dishwasher.

Percy shook his head vigorously, "No. It's your first birthday in America. It's going to be phenomenal." He said, sliding in next to me to wash his plate. His hands replaced mine as he put his plate in the dishwasher, "I'm going to get ready," Percy ran his fingers through his mangled hair and smiled, "Meet me down here when you're ready. I don't want to rush you."

I smiled and pushed my bangs to the side, eyes not leaving his. I hugged his bare torso and

buried my face in his neck, "Thanks Percy."

Percy wrapped his arms around me, "Anything for you, Birthday Boy." He smiled, ruffling my

hair just like the first day we'd met. It brought back one of my best memories and I walked up the stairs, getting ready to take a shower.

After the shower, my soggy bangs stuck to my forehead as I dried off. I heard Percy's music

play in the other room,

"_It's three am, I'm outside your window._

_Jumped the fence, dad will never know._

_Fell in love, with you in my passenger seat._"

I grinned and got dressed, shrugging into my aviator jacket, ripped jeans, and blue Converse. I smelled his cologne and turned into the doorway, inhaling his presence. We ran right into each other and he smiled, "Ready?"

I nodded and Percy's fingers were laced through mine as we left the house and got into his car. My dad would've seen this as recalcitrant but I didn't care. Percy was there for me when my own _dad_ wasn't. I don't find that bad at all and I never would.

We pulled up in the fair's parking lot and He paid for the tickets. I looked at him and grinned,

"Candy floss." Percy looked confused and I came to the realization, "Oh. _Cotton candy._"

Percy laughed and grabbed my hand, running through the fair to the vibrant stand. He got two

and tapped on my shoulder. I turned to see Percy. With a pink candy mustache, "Charming." I remarked and we both laughed.

He led me to the Ferris wheel and we got into the rickety seat. I leaned against his shoulder and put my hand on his thigh. He put his hand on mine and kissed my forehead. A picture perfect moment. The sun was high in the sky and silhouettes of mountains lined the horizon. They seemed so far away but that didn't even begin to effect their beauty.

The ride stopped when we were at the top and I looked around, "This is amazing." I commented, leaning forwards as if I could get closer to the view.

Percy smiled and set his forearms on his knees, leaning forwards, "I'm glad you like it." He said, admiring the view too, "But you know, Nico," He started, not moving, "nothing could even _start_ to look as amazing as you do right now. Just saying." He finished in such a casual way that it didn't even seem to effect me until a couple seconds later.

"T-thank you." I managed, leaning forward to kiss his cheek, "for the best birthday I've had. It's only 10 and today beat every other birthday before it."

Percy looked at me as the ride lowered back to the ground, "I think that's because you have

someone that cares. Someone who would take a bullet for you."

I met his blue-green gaze and hesitated, getting lost in the swirling sea of his eyes, "Someone like you."

Percy-

After we got back into the car, I pulled back into the house's driveway. Nico got out and I grabbed his hand, "Follow me." I said, leading him around to the backyard.

We reached a large hedge, growing in between the neighbors house and ours. I pushed on it and it gave way a little. I crawled through the opening and Nico followed, pushing it back into place. I opened up into a large botanical garden. There was a koi pond in the far corner and trees that had cherries and apples and pears. The grass was a bright green, despite the harsh temperatures of Autumn. I grabbed a couple cherries, deciding to harvest them later, and gave them to Nico. The hedges blocked the view to the outside world and stood at least 7 feet tall. It looked like the front of a book. Birds flew around, hummingbirds visited occasionally, and reddish-brown leaves scattered the green space. I led Nico to the old oak bench next to the pond and we sat down, watching the fish maneuver through the water.

He touched the water, oh so lightly, and it sent slow ripples traveling through the pond. He looked at me and leaned against my shoulder, "This is beautiful. Really. This is...I mean...wow." Nico admired.

I wrapped my arm around his waist and leaned against his head, "Happy Birthday Nico."

His arms wrapped around my torso and we rested like that for a while. Watching the sun slowly move across the sky and asked some pretty scientific questions, most of which he asked and I answered... not very scientifically. "Who paints the sunset, Percy?"

I chuckled and ran my fingers through his hair, "Every night, a chariot rider gathers only the most beautiful colors and pours the colors into a bucket in his chariot. When the horses fly across the sky, he lets the colors go free and they dance together on the horizon. They mix and blend until they find their spot. Where they belong. They stay there until the sun goes down and then they get ready to dance in the morning." I said softly, admiring the pinks and oranges of the sunset.

Nico nodded and stood up, grabbing my hand. I stood up too and he led me out of the garden, into car and sat in the driver's side. "W-Where are we going?" I asked, curious.

He smiled and drove down the street, "Dinner."

At the restaurant, it was lit with purple and blue lights, subtle. Nico led me to the table and it was lit with candles and next to one of those beautiful inside waterfalls. He ordered the Salmon and I ordered the steak, meeting his dark, grey gaze. "Had you already planned this?" I asked, not breaking my stare. He smiled that cute smile that inched its way into my heart every time he did so. Nico held my hand over the table and I smiled back, searching for an explanation in those sad eyes of his. _Protect him_ ran through my mind until our food came. This _had_ to be a five-star restaurant and Nico didn't let me see the bill. He just paid and gave it to the waiter, not even letting me care about the price.

I drove back to our house and we sat on the sofa, cuddled together, watching _The Titanic_. I had seen the movie many times but Nico had yet to see it. When Jack saved Rose but risked his life for his love, I saw tears prick in Nico's eyes. "Come on, Nico." I offered, "It's okay."

He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and watched the screen, his gaze intense. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and he leaned into my chest, hiding half of his face in my shirt.

The movie ended and our eyes met, knowing what was coming next. Our hands were tangled in each other's hair and we were intertwined. Our lips didn't meet, but we were close. I felt Nico's breath on my nose and looked into his eyes, "Nico, I'll protect you."

At that, our torsos pressed together and out lips met. Our tongues fought for dominance, mine winning. He surrendered and my tongue ran across his lips and teeth. It swirled around his tongue and mapped out the important terrain. His tongue darted into my mouth and duplicated my moves, eventually we both pulled back and caught our breaths.

He brought his mouth to my ear and whispered in a soft, vulnerable voice, "Promise?"

I looked at Nico and smiled, pecking him on the cheek, "I promise."

Percy-

1:30 am. A gunshot rings through the air.


	4. Chapter 4-Flatline

Nico-

It's dark. Black as night. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, liquid trailing through my fingers, soaking the sheets. Blood. Suddenly, I felt light-headed, seeing white around my already failed vision. I'm going to die.

Percy-

I ran. I ran into Nico's room, not even taking the time to turn on the lights. There was blood. A lot of it. I called the ambulance and paced his room nervously, talking to the paramedic. As instructed, I stopped pacing and applied pressure to his shoulder.

"P-Percy..." Nico managed, coughing.

"Nico. Nico_ Nico Nico._ It's alright, Nico. I'm here." I ran my fingers through his hair and smiled, "I'm here. I'll protect you." A silent tear ran down my cheek as I saw the pain in his face.

My eyes adjusted and his hand was on my cheek, "Love you, Percy." He whispered. Nico's hand returned to his side and his eyes closed.

_No. no no no no no. I promised. _The flashing lights pulled into the driveway and medics flooded into the still dark room. I was pushed aside, given a shock blanket, and led to the ambulance.

My heart skipped a beat. Nico was on the gurney, eyes closed, hair facing every direction. His shoulder was bleeding and his heart rate was dropping. Quickly. I held his hand and felt his fingers squeeze mine slightly. Tears rolled down my face and we pulled up to the hospital.

I wasn't allowed to see Nico until he was in stable condition. I sat in the waiting room, foot tapping nervously. "God. I _promised._" I whispered to myself.

"Hi...Mr. Jackson?" I looked up to see the doctor.

"Y-yes sir. Is Nico alright? Is he gonna be okay?" I asked frantically, my heart beating out of my chest.

"Well," The doctor started, "Nico had some trouble getting his heart rate back to normal. He lost a lot of blood from the gun wound, but he's alright now. You can visit if you want."

"Thank you, sir." I managed, walking into Nico's room. Just seeing him made my spirits get smaller and smaller. "N-Nico..." I walked over to the hospital bed and sat down, holding his hand.

He looked over at me and smiled that sad smile, "Percy." His voice sounded hoarse and his shoulder was wrapped in gauze.

"I'm sorry Nico." I said, tears welling up once again, "I promised and...God. I'm so so sorry."

His finger traced my jawline and wiped away a tear, "Don't, Percy. I'm still here aren't I?" He coughed.

I shook my head, "Yeah but...Nico. I promised, and I broke that promise."

"Shhh. You did as much as you could've done." He still wore that sad smile and his hair was still out of place.

I leaned over, smoothed it out, and kissed him, "I'm just glad you're okay."

His eyes closed slowly and I looked at the monitor. _75. 70. 65. 60. 55. 48. _I pressed the emergency button behind the head board and grasped his hand, "No no no Nico. Nico stay with me. Please."

_Beep. Beep. Beep._ I looked up at the monitor. _5. 0. _


	5. Chapter 5-epilogue

Nico-

It's not like people think death is. You don't see a light, you don't see god's angels come down and bring you to Heaven. You don't visit the underworld. At least, not me. I was looking down on my hospital room, floating, transparent. Percy sat next to my bed and I tried to wipe his hair out of his sad, sad eyes. My hand went straight through his head and it dawned on me. I'm not alive anymore. Just a spirit.

The room was flooded with nurses and doctors now, pushing Percy away from my body. I watched as they tried to revive me, CPR and shocks and antibiotics. Suddenly, I was dragged into the body and my shoulder started to hurt.

Percy-

I sat in the corner, tears covering my face. I heard him cough and looked up, wiping my eyes. Nico's hand reached between the four doctors that surrounded him and I grabbed it. The doctors filed out of the room and I made a sad laugh, "Don't scare me like that, Nico."

He smiled and told me about how he watched from the top of the room. How he was sucked back into his body. How his shoulder hurt the most. How the first thing he did while he was dead was try to wipe my hair out of my eyes. Let me know that he was okay.

I gave him a slight smile and kissed his forehead, running my hand through his hair, "I missed you."

Nico gave me a smile and kissed my forehead too, "Missed you too."

Nico-

The doctor said I was discharged but bed-ridden for a couple weeks. He also gave the school a call saying that Percy was my guardian while injured.

We got home and Percy helped me to my room, change into pajamas, and then we sat on the bed. My head on his chest, his fingers in my hair. I felt my eyes close slowly as his fingers traced my spine, the curve of my shoulder blades, the nape of my neck. Everything that made me shiver. I drifted off into sleep and dreamt of what I'd seen in the hospital. Percy's tears, the flat line on the screen, the artificial light of the room.

Percy-

Nico breathed small, short breaths against my shirt as I traced the lines down his neck, good shoulder, forearm. I laced my hand with his and smiled, looking out the window into the dark. Wind blew the remaining leaves off of the trees and rain began to dance across the glass and I watched two droplets race to the bottom. I smiled and kissed Nico's forehead, "I know I promised..." I whispered, "But I realized that I can't stop somethings. I hope that I can protect you as much as I can. I'll try."

I felt Nico's arms wrap around my torso and I smiled, "Love you to the moon and back."

Side note: I'm starting a new Fan fiction about how he was shot that will take place after this.


End file.
